Race Differences in the Loneliness of Older Adults: Evidence from South Africa

Although the correlates of loneliness among older adults are very well explored in developed countries, there has been far less quantitative research in developing country contexts. This study helps to redress this research lacuna by investigating the loneliness reports of older adults (> 59 years) in South Africa. The analysis focuses on the considerable variation by race in how adults grow old, including in their living arrangements and socio-economic status. Using national micro-data collected in five waves of the National Income Dynamics Study, the study shows that older white adults report significantly fewer episodes of loneliness than other older adults, although they are far more likely to live alone. The gap in loneliness is greatest between older white and older African adults (who are the most likely to live with others), and it persists in multivariate regressions that control for a range of other differences in their individual and household characteristics. One possible explanation for these persistent race differences, which requires further examination, is that they reflect the importance of cultural factors, which are not adequately modelled, and which influence expectations of social interaction.